Macao Union Medical Center conducts Macao’s first robotic-assisted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty with precise minimally invasive techniques

MACAU, July 3 - The Islands Healthcare Complex – Macao Medical Center of Peking Union Medical College Hospital (hereinafter referred to as “Macao Union Medical Center”) successfully completed the first robotic-assisted unicompartmental knee arthroplasty in Macao. After the surgery, the patient had a successful recovery and was able to get out of bed for a walk the next day, marking a further advancement in orthopedics in terms of minimally invasive and precise joint replacement.

This surgery utilized the most advanced Mako orthopedic robot system in the world, which can facilitate “three surgical approaches in one robot,” and unicompartmental arthroplasty is a key part among the approaches. In contrast to traditional total knee replacement, unicompartmental knee replacement focuses solely on a single compartment with pathological changes on either the medial or lateral side of the knee joint. Throughout the operation, the patient’s own anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments, as well as healthy cartilage and bone tissue, were entirely preserved. This approach could maintain the original biomechanics and stability of the knee joint to the greatest extent.

In the surgical procedure, the surgery team first used CT scans to create a 3D dynamic bone model and then precisely planned the position and angle of the implantation of the prosthesis. The robotic arm executed precise osteotomy at the sub-millimeter level within “safe boundaries.” Leveraging tactile feedback technology, it avoided damage to blood vessels and nerves, leading to minimal bleeding. The incision created was approximately 8 to 10 centimeters, which was typical of minimally invasive surgery.

The patient is an elderly person who suffered from medial knee pain for many years and failed to be cured by conservative treatments. Before the surgery, the patient had limited mobility and had great difficulty going up and down stairs. After the unicompartmental arthroplasty, the pain was significantly lower than expected, and the elderly could get up smoothly with the aid of a walker the next day and walk short distances. The recovery speed was much faster compared to traditional surgical approaches. Also, due to the preservation of the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments, the range of motion and proprioception of the patient’s knee joint after surgery closely resemble its natural state, leading to a better overall experience.

The Macao Union Medical Center highlighted that the core advantage of unicompartmental arthroplasty lies in the precise replacement of the diseased area while preserving healthy tissue. With this surgical approach, the patient can retain more bone mass, and the ligament function remains unaffected. This facilitates a faster recovery after the surgery and offers better long-term mobility and quality of life. The use of the Mako robot has enabled the standardized execution of this highly complex technique, significantly improving the success rate and safety of the surgery.

Moving forward, the Macao Union Medical Center will continue to utilize the Mako robotic system to provide more patients with knee joint problems personalized, precise and efficient surgical solutions, so as to advance orthopedic care in Macao towards a new era of smart healthcare and establish a new benchmark for minimally invasive surgical practices.